Humility

Beginning of all knowledge comes from humility.Humility is a natural symptom of those who love God.Humility means one does not impose his conceptions upon others and he is fully dependent on the mercy of the Lord.

   The Bhagavad-gita (13.08) commends humility as the first among the virtues of the enlightened. And it also commends protecting one’s honor, the seeming opposite of humility. The Gita (02.34) warns Arjuna that abandoning his duty will invite dishonor that will be gossiped about for time immemorial and will hurt worse than death.

   Wouldn’t being dishonored help one to become humble?

  Not necessarily, because authentic humility grows not by being disrespected externally, but by finding inner fulfillment and thereby becoming detached from external respect.

   Life’s purpose and the Gita’s central message is neither humility, nor honor – it is dutifulness, specifically dutifulness towards Krishna, which is actually our nature as souls. Such devotional dutifulness helps us gradually attain spiritual love for him, which alone grants lasting fulfillment. Both humility and honor are meant to assist in devotional dutifulness.

   By cultivating humility, we make decisions based on not what will be praised as good but what will actually be good as per scripture.

   By cultivating honor, we ensure that we stick to our word and our duty, even when it is difficult. In a cultured society, dutifulness is honored and irresponsibility is dishonored. Thus, honor inspires us to stick to our duty.

   Honor shouldn’t be confused with pride or arrogance, which is the opposite of humility. The arrogant live for praise. In contrast, the honorable live for duty. For them, the social reality that abandoning duty will attract dishonor is a supplementary spur for living dutifully.

  Honor and humility can co-exist, even be synergistic. When we resolve to live honorably, the ensuing struggle compels us to acknowledge how weak we are – and how much we need Krishna’s mercy. And such neediness for Krishna is the heart of humility.

  By a duty-centered synergy of humility and honor, we can march through life steadily and joyfully to Krishna.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 34

akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni

kathayiṣyanti te 'vyayām

sambhāvitasya cākīrtir

maraṇād atiricyate

akīrtim—infamy; ca—also; api—over and above; bhūtāni—all people; kathayiṣyanti—will speak; te-of you; avyayām—forever; sambhāvitasya—for a respectable man; ca—also; akīrtiḥ—ill fame; maraṇāt—than death; atiricyate—becomes more than.

   Lord Krishna Said:"People will always speak of your infamy, and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death."

  Both as friend and philosopher to Arjuna, Lord Kṛṣṇa now gives His final judgement regarding Arjuna's refusal to fight. The Lord says, "Arjuna, if you leave the battlefield, people will call you a coward even before your actual flight. And if you think that people may call you bad names but that you will save your life by fleeing the battlefield, then My advice is that you'd do better to die in the battle. For a respectable man like you, ill fame is worse than death.      

    So, you should not flee for fear of your life; better to die in the battle. That will save you from the ill fame of misusing My friendship and from losing your prestige in society."

   So, the final judgement of the Lord was for Arjuna to die in the battle and not withdraw.

   If one can chant and hear Hare Krishna and always remember Lord Krishna, then he is sure to become fearless of death, which may come at any moment. Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 2

Joy can only be experienced when we offer our love to Krishna.

Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Gurudeva ...

All glories to Srila Prabhupada ...

Always think of the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna and you will find no difficulties in executing the tasks allotted to you by Krishna.

The holy name of Krishna has extraordinary spiritual potency because the name of God is non different from God Himself.

Chant these names with love and you will feel the ecstasy:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare 

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare ...

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे || हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे||

Hare Krishna ... Jay Jagannath ...

~~ Bhakta Sanjay.

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